Polyether polyols are used in a wide variety of applications and are often prepared by reaction of a suitable starter (or initiator) compound with one or more alkylene oxides in the presence of one or more catalysts. Often, the starter or initiator includes a compound having two or more hydroxyl groups per molecule (i.e. diols, triols, and other higher polyols). Polyether polyols of this type are well known in the field of polyurethane chemistry.
One area of interest for the use of polyurethanes is as a gel coat in the construction of glass fiber reinforced plastics (“FRPs”), such as those used in the construction of marine craft, showers and bathtubs, building and automotive panels, swimming pools, and satellite dishes. In conventional FRP construction, a release agent, such as a wax, is applied to a mold, a gel coat is applied to the waxed mold, and a glass fiber reinforced laminate is applied to the gel coat. The FRP is ultimately removed from the mold to provide the glass fiber reinforced laminate covered by a decorative gel coat layer. The gel coat layer should provide a desired hardness, aesthetic appearance, durability, ultraviolet degradation resistance and hydrolysis resistance to the FRP. In addition, the gel coat should adhere well to an unsaturated polyester backing resin. Finally, the use of renewable resources for the production of such gel coats is sought from an environmental sustainability perspective.
As a result, it would be desirable to provide a method for producing polyether polyols using a renewable starter that can be used in the production of polyurethane coatings, particularly polyurethane gel coatings.